


Mission Incorporeal

by Cabbagiez



Category: Psychonauts (Video Games)
Genre: Card Games, Dunno if it'll be resolved yet, Emotional Baggage, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Mind Control, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Mind Games, Psychic Abilities, Romantic Tension, as means for mind control, of course
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-10-28 23:41:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20786981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cabbagiez/pseuds/Cabbagiez
Summary: This was supposed to be a rather routine mission, or at least as routine as it can get with the Psychonauts. But, something went horribly wrong, and someone got hurt. Now they have to deal, and hope things will resolve themselves.





	Mission Incorporeal

“Agent Vodello, are you in position?” Sasha asked mentally, carefully watching their target from a vent. 

“I am, Agent Nein. Are you?”

“Affirmative. Careful…” A tiny door landed on the back of their target’s head, and as it opened Sasha entered his mind, followed by Milla. He looked around, trying to get his bearings straight in the stranger’s mind. He had lost contact with Milla, who must’ve ended up somewhere else. Sasha turned, suddenly seeing the man they were targeting in front of him. “Oh, _ Scheiß _,” he said, taking a step back. His back hit bars, and he suddenly realized exactly what the other’s mind reminded him of. A prison. 

“Hello, Agent Nein,” the man said with an almost frightening smile. 

“...Hello,” Sasha replied. He couldn’t help but notice no censors had attacked but did not let his guard down. The man in front of them had taken down some of their best agents. 

“Sit down, if you please.” The man sat at a nearby table, picking up a pack of cards. Sasha didn’t move but found himself compelled to sit regardless.

“Your… Influence. Won’t work on me,” Sasha said in a low voice, concentrating his aggravation. He would have released it into a PSI blast, but instead sighed and sat in front of him. 

“Oh, it doesn’t need to,” he replied with a chuckle. “Cards?”

“...No thank you.”

“Did I ask that as a question? My mistake. We’re playing cards.” He dealt him in, smiling all the while. “Have you played blackjack before, Agent Nein?”

“Once or twice.” 

“Has Agent Vodello?”

A look of fear crossed his face, mostly in his eyes, luckily hidden behind his sunglasses. “...Yes.”

“Would you like her to join, Agent Nein?”

“No,” Sasha replied, too urgently for his liking. “She… doesn’t like cards.”

“Shame. She’ll join eventually.” The game began, Sasha slowly finding it difficult to lift his eyes from his cards. He didn’t know what the other had done to him, but he kept his poker face. He couldn’t know it was affecting him. “Do you remember my name, Agent Nein?”

Sasha struggled to keep his mouth shut, his head involuntarily moving up to meet the other’s eyes. “No,” he forced himself to say, his fingers curling around his cards. If he said it, he’d be gone. He may never come back from this mind, like their fellow agents he was here to rescue. 

“Both of us know that’s a lie, Nein. I can see it,” he replied, with a soft laugh, “Let’s try that again. Do you remember my name?”

“I… No, _ no, _ I don’t,” Sasha insisted, grinding his teeth together. “I don’t… I don-” He heard a click in the back of his mind. Shit. “I… _ I do. _” Oh God, what was he saying? How did… 

“Good… What is it, Nein? Remind me.”

“_ Hugo. _ ” Sasha felt his control evaporate the minute he said it, and suddenly Hugo was puppeteering him. It was like he was back in isolation, he couldn’t control anything except what he was thinking. His body stood, unlocking the jail cell he was in and making his way through Hugo’s mind. “ _ Agent Vodello? _ ” His voice called out, but it wasn’t him. His thoughts were racing, his conscious had been sealed in a neat corner of the box he called _ his _ mind. Sasha slammed his fist against the wall before slumping to the ground, settling for watching his body from a small window. He knew that Hugo would find Milla quickly, and he could do nothing to stop it. He wouldn’t kick them from his mind, no, he’d force them to _ stay… _ and that was almost worse. For once in his life, he was obviously terrified, thinking about what could happen to Milla while Hugo was in control. The smelling salts were in his _ real _ pocket, so he couldn’t just use them… he was stuck. 

“Ford, I don’t like this, I’ve lost contact with Nein…” Milla was speaking softly, glancing around herself every so often. “There isn’t any sign of the agents we need to find, either.”

“_ Camilla? _ ” Hugo called out, and Sasha gave a small relieved sigh. She’d notice, he never called her that unless it had gotten _ serious. _

Milla turned around, immediately giving a warm smile. “Sasha!” she said, starting forward before realizing. “Is everything alright, darling?”

“_ Of course. Follow me, _ ” He replied, with a slight smile. Sasha chuckled to himself as he saw the look in Milla’s eyes change. She _ knew. _ Thank God.

“Did you find them, darling?”

“_ I did. They’re just this way, _ ” Hugo replied in Sasha’s voice. He led her in another direction, moving just a bit too calmly. He pressed a hand to his temple, staring at an ice block that soon ignited. Milla flinched back, taking a breath to calm herself. She was suspicious before, but now she knew for certain that Sasha was _ not _ the one in control. He was certainly capable of pyrokinesis, but he never utilized it. Too uncontrollable, and ran the risk of upsetting Milla. He walked inside, but Milla did not follow. She knew better than to trust the other, and especially not as the room Sasha’s body was entering started to change. 

“Sasha, darling?” Milla called out, hoping to distract him. She didn’t want to have to hurt him. 

“_ What is it? _”

“A censor on your left!” She replied. He turned, and as he did Milla threw a confusion bomb. Once it landed she quickly pulled Sasha out with telekinesis, binding his limbs. She pinned him to the floor, glaring into his eyes. Once the confusion wore off, she spoke. “Get _ out _ of his head!”

“_ Hm. No, _” Hugo replied, dropping all pretense of being Sasha. 

“Do it or I’ll drag you out there myself…” She slipped the smelling salts out of the man’s pocket but had to wait to use them. If she did it now, Hugo would still remain. 

“_ How about a trade? His life for yours… _”

“Fine,” Milla said. She knew better, logically, but she had to get Sasha safe. In an instant, Sasha’s body went limp. 

“You better hold up your end, I’m coming!” Hugo called out from somewhere in the distance. She sucked in a breath, quickly waving the smelling salts under Sasha’s nose. He vanished, back to the real world, and before Hugo could grab her she did the same. 

Sasha fell to the ground, struggling to readjust. He was exhausted, his thoughts scattered and body aching. He felt distant still, though he was in control. Sasha opened his eyes weakly, letting out a gentle chuckle upon seeing Milla beating Hugo senseless. The man was powerful, yes, but he wasn’t _ strong. _ Milla scooped his body into her arms, holding him close, and picked Hugo up with her telekinesis. “Ford, we need an extraction,” she said, and the three vanished. Once Agent Cruller’s sanctuary came into view, Sasha let his eyelids fall shut again, drifting off. 

His eyes flicked open and were immediately met by a room bathed in bright colors and psychedelic decor. He tried to get up, but was pushed down by a psychic force. “Sasha, sweetheart, you need rest…” Milla said, levitating closer to him. She wiped his forehead with a damp cloth, sitting beside him. “I made you some food. I tried my hand at those… potato pancakes? But I also made some broth, if it’s too hard on your stomach right now,” she continued, gently passing Sasha his food.

“Oh- thank you, Milla,” he replied, taking a careful bite. _ Delicious. _ “How long was I out?”

“Not long, darling.”

“Not long in _ my _ view, or not long in _ your _ view?”

“Considering what happened, I think my view is fair. Only a day or two.”

“A _ day _ or-” Sasha took a breath, sighing. “Milla. That isn’t ‘not long,’ that is twenty-four to forty-eight hours that I have not spent _ working, _” he replied, trying to get up.

“You’re on sick leave. Getting your mind taken over is a very serious thing, you know this,” Milla replied, brushing the hair out of his eyes and handing him his sunglasses. “So you need to rest, and I know you wouldn’t at home, so.” 

He relaxed as she played with his hair, nodding. “I suppose you’re right…” He took another bite, his hands starting to shake. Giving up on using them, he levitated the silverware instead, freeing up his hand to rest on Milla’s. “I, didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“No, darling… it wasn’t you anyway. I could tell immediately,” Milla replied, stroking Sasha’s hand with her thumb, “We’ve worked together long enough that I knew.”

“I’m glad. I was worried he would hurt you, or worse.”

“The worst outcome I could think of is not having you with us, Sasha.” She got closer, pulling him halfway into a hug. “I’m glad you’re safe, darling… I was worried sick.”

“I’m sorry for frightening you,” he replied, continuing to eat as he spoke. “I wasn’t prepared, and I should have been.”

“Sweetheart, it wasn’t your fault. He manipulated you; it’s not your fault at all.”

“I’m aware…” He sighed. “I know it’s illogical to think I was to blame, and yet I feel that way anyway. I just can’t block those thoughts, no matter how much I try.”

“You just have to feel them, Sasha… things like these, you can’t repress them.”

“As much as I wish I could,” he admitted, letting her massage his shoulders. He realized he was in pajamas, but decided he didn’t really care. 

“That’s unhealthy,” Milla replied, chuckling to herself. “He’s in custody. We did that much at least, hm?”

“I suppose.” He rested his head on her gently, smiling for once- naturally. “And while he’s in custody they’ll rescue our fellow agents.”

“Of course. You know we care about you, don’t you, Sasha?”

“It’s hard to believe at times but, yes. I know.” A faint blush was coloring his cheeks, though he tried to hide it. “And I care about you all, immensely.”

“That’s wonderful to hear, darling. Ford wanted you to know that the directors were impressed with us both- you for avoiding capture and me for detaining him quickly.”

“That’s _ something _ at least,” Sasha replied, setting his food aside. “I’m exhausted, and I just woke up.”

“Then go back to sleep, darling, I’m not going anywhere,” Milla smiled gently at him, speaking softly. She started humming; a tune Sasha knew she could have only heard in his mind. He sighed, his eyes drifting shut yet again.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope y'all enjoy! Sorry I've been a tad inactive, to say the least!


End file.
